saving me
by peppermintandvodka
Summary: (rewrite of When Love and Hate Collide, Jeff x OC pairing this time) Destiny Dumas and Jeff Hardy don't really know one another, (or so they think) outside of their connection because of Matt dating her sister and his just ended relationship with Maria. But when she finds out Edge is cheating and turns to Jeff will they discover that they know one another better than they thought?
1. Chapter 1

She swerved her car over to the side of the road and came to a stop. Her eyes burned with tears she hadn't cried yet, and her stomach churned at what she'd just seen through the window of her boyfriend's hotel room.

Apparently, her boyfriend, Edge didn't get the memo.. Apparently, he'd been too busy fucking her big sister to even bother to check his voicemails or missed calls. The urge to vomit hit her, and she opened her car door, throwing up on the side of the road as the dire straights she found herself in currently really started to hit home.

She knew two things with absolute certainty.. One, she was pregnant with Edge's kid and two, she was now seeing everything about him she'd been blind to before. Tonight was supposed to be a happy one for them, they should have been celebrating their good news as a couple.

Instead, she was sitting on the side of the interstate, staring at an engagement ring that felt right now like a knife twisting into her heart everytime she looked at it.

She picked up her phone and dialed her best friend Maria's cell phone, waiting. When it also went to voicemail, she growled and threw the cell phone down into the passenger seat. At least Edge hadn't even bothered to stop and seen her come to his hotel room door, so he'd be completely oblivious as to her having been there, left after seeing him with her sister, Lita.

"Damn you, Adam." she muttered to herself as she toyed for a moment with the idea of calling her sister's supposed boyfriend Matt, who was at home right now, on medical leave, he'd had an extensive knee surgery performed and he was still healing.

Lita should have been there, taking care of him.. Not with Adam, on the road, fucking him.

"Two wrongs don't make a right, and anyway, Matt kinda hates you, Destiny." she muttered to herself as she put the car into drive and just drove. She wound up in Cameron and before she realized it, she was pulling into Jeff's driveway.

Jeff raised a brow as he looked out the window, saw Lita's little sister's Camaro parked behind his own in his driveway, but for some reason, he went out and called from the porch, "What's wrong?"

"Everything, Jeff." Destiny said as she looked at him and got out of her car, walking up the walkway and asking, "Maria's not here.. is she?"

"No. We actually sort of broke up earlier.. Found out she was screwing around on me with CM Punk."

"Is she insane? Punk is a jerk. He's only going to hurt her." Destiny said as she stepped onto the porch and wiped her eyes, hoping Jeff couldn't see she'd obviously been crying in the darkness of the night around them.

But, unfortunately, he did and then asked, "Desi? Are you okay?"

"Not really, Jeff." Destiny muttered as she bit her lip and asked shakily, "Can I just come in for a few minutes? I promise I'm not gonna stay long or anything.."

"Sure.. I mean I doubt Maria comes back here, she made it pretty clear where she was headed when she left, but.." jeff said as he looked up momentarily, wondered if this was some kind of sign or something..

He'd been thinking tonight was a damn good night to relapse, and he'd been just about to leave, go get some stuff to take, something, anything he could get his hands on, really, when Destiny showed up out of the blue at his house..

Destiny stepped inside and then sank down into the couch as she looked at her hands and said "I'm breaking up with Edge."

"Why?" Jeff asked as his brow quirked. He'd always sort of assumed that Edge and Destiny had a fairly decent relationship, even though it pissed him off to watch Edge skeezing it up with other girls when Destiny couldn't make it out to his shows while they were all on the road and she was stuck at work or at college.

"Because.. I walked in on him with another woman tonight.. And he just asked me to marry him not even a week ago.. Great way to prove your love, huh?" Destiny laughed hollowly, as she leaned back, squeezed her eyes closed because she felt like she'd cry again at any moment and the last thing she wanted to do was be a burden to Jeff. He'd always been sweet to her, even when Matt was being a complete asshole.

"Who?" jeff asked out of curiousity, more than anything, as he looked at her and put his arm around the back of the couch as he said quietly, "Go ahead and cry if you want. Hell, I cried earlier when Maria and I broke up."

"You don't want me to answer that, Jeff.. because I know how much you love your brother, and my answer kind of affects him.." Destiny muttered as Jeff raised his brow then demanded gently, "Now I really have to know who.."

"My sister. I walked in on Edge with my damn sister. Of all the people he'd fuck around on me with.. It has to be my own damn sister.. I thought I could trust her." Destiny said in shock as Jeff exhaled sharply and then said "And now I see why she was acting so damn funny last time she visited Matt and Edge's name came up."

"Does Edge know you know?" Jeff asked as Destiny shook her head without looking up and added quietly, "The worst of it is.. I'm pregnant. And there is no way in hell I'm going to marry a man I just don't trust."

The second she said the words she'd just said, Jeff got this nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach, but for the moment, he ignored it. After all, he didn't want to further make the mess worse when he told her that he'd been having really, really vivid dreams about her, about them, since the last time he'd seen her, right?

Because that's all they had to be, were dreams.. he'd never logically do that to Maria, and he knew she'd never do that to Edge. She'd had a few chances, hell, Batista hit on her quite often when she came to visit Edge on the road..

But she never took any of them.

"Jeff? If you were me, what would you do?" Destiny asked as she made herself look up into his jade green eyes and raked her hand through her hair, studying him a moment. Something was bugging him right now, she could sort of tell. And she still couldn't figure out for the life of her, why she'd come here, to Jeff's house when she could have just as easily went to Christian's hotel room or Trish's.

So why had she driven over 3 hours to Jeff, someone she considered a friend, but not a really close one like Christian, Maria or Trish?

She couldn't explain it, but for a moment, she wondered if it had to do with the bizarre daydream she'd had during class earlier in the week.

She shook it off and then sighing said "When it all goes to hell.. It literally all goes to hell, doesn't it?" mostly to herself as she stared at a television that wasn't turned on.

It was then she happened to look at Jeff and realized that he was dressed as if he were intending on leaving when she'd shown up, and he had his keys in his hand.

"I screwed up your plans.. I'm gonna go now.. Maybe Maria's at her hotel room and she's alone." Destiny muttered as she stood and started towards the door.

The craving for his addiction was still pretty much ruling Jeff, but he remembered the promise he'd made his older brother and stood, putting his hand over her hand on the doorknob as he said "Do you mind, umm.. Staying? Just for a little bit.. Maybe we can talk or something.. Maybe Maria will come back here.." he lied as he looked at her, hoping the desperation didn't show in his eyes when he looked at her. He suspected that she really didn't talk to him all that much outside of the last time they'd seen one another, over a month ago, at one of Matt's 'get togethers', because she knew about the drugs, and she'd dated a user a long time ago who'd really done her wrong, he'd really hurt her, and maybe the fact that Jeff was still very much 'in recovery', scared her, because she couldn't be sure which way he'd go..

"I.. Sure.. Are you sure I'm not screwing up any of your plans though?" Destiny asked as she studied him a moment. She got this feeling he needed her to stay, and she said nothing, but internally, she was curious.. They barely talked, really didn't know one another, even though he'd been dating her best friend until earlier tonight, apparently.

"No." Jeff stated firmly as he shut the door and flopped onto the couch, turning on the tv, trying to find something to watch. The knock on the door a few moments later had him raising a brow and Matt called out, "Desi? Edge is looking everywhere for you girl, why are you at Jeff's? He's really freaking out."

Jeff grumbled and then stood, opening the door as he let his brother in, ignoring the glare his brother gave him, shrugging casually as he gave an apologetic smile to Destiny.

Destiny bit her lip and then said quietly, "Because when I went to his hotel room tonight, Matt, and I saw him fucking another girl."

"And? You came to Jeff's house, why?" Matt asked as he looked at her, trying not to be a dick, but at the same time, trying to keep his defenses up, remembering everything her sister had told her that Destiny was capable of.

Destiny smirked. She'd picked up on the tone in his voice just now and she asked a question of her own.. "Hey Matt? Where's Lita tonight?"

Jeff looked at his brother and waited, wondering what Lita had told him to get out of making the trip to check up on the man she supposedly loved with 'all her heart'.

"She's with Trish or something." Matt said as he glared at Destiny, wondering what she'd meant by her own question, getting the feeling that she knew something he didn't.

"What'd you ask me that for. She's your sister, you should know.. Maybe if you weren't over here breaking up Jeff and Maria, then you would." Matt said coldly as Jeff growled and said in a deathly calm voice, "Get out, Matt. Now."

"No.. Not until she tells me why she's here, and not with Maria or Christian, or someone.. Don't be stupid, Jeff, you love Maria. Do you really wanna throw that away on her?" Matt asked his brother, his disdain for Destiny, for what he knew (or thought he knew) her to be evident in his tone of voice.

Destiny snapped and then said calmly, quietly, "You didn't even ask me who was with Edge when I caught him."

"Who? And why should it make a damn to me?" Matt asked, rolling his eyes in annoyance as Destiny said "My angel of a big sister's with him, right now."

Matt growled and then went for her, but Jeff stepped between them and said "She's telling the truth, Matt.. Lita's the one who's been lying to you.. I've known she was screwing around for a few months now.. just didn't know with who, until tonight when Destiny came here."

Matt felt sick to his stomach as he tried to call Lita's phone and realized it was cut off.

"Her phone's off."

"If you still think I'm a liar, Matt, they're in room 308 at the Hilton Inn. It's Edge's room." Destiny said as she pressed the cordless phone from Jeff's end table into Matt's hand, held his gaze challengingly.

Matt took the phone and within seconds, he was slamming the phone down, storming around the house.

Destiny stopped him and shook her head as she said "What you do is go back to work, act normal, pretend you don't know and then drop the boom on her." before sitting back down on the couch beside Jeff.. She could feel the warmth of his skin against her skin and she could swear for a moment that there was an electric current passing through their bodies, but she did her best to pretend otherwise.

Even though her even being here, in his house, sitting with him felt a little too familiar, she did her best to ignore that and focus on what'd bought her here tonight, not why she'd chosen here of all places to come to.

Matt eventually left, and Destiny sighed as she said quietly, "I shouldn't have done that."

Jeff shrugged and said "My brother kind of asked for it, being an asshole like he was.. I don't get it.. For the past month and a half, he's went out of his way to make your life a living hell when he sees you.. And he's constantly telling me that I don't wanna mess up what I have with maria.. had, I mean."

Destiny shrugged and said "Lita probably filled his head full of shit or something, I don't even know, really, don't actually care.. It's late, I really should get going or something.." Destiny muttered as they locked eyes again, and she found herself zoning out and oddly enough, going back to the daydream she'd had earlier in this week about Jeff, about them, together..

"You can stay.. I'll sleep on the couch.. You can take the bed or something." Jeff offered before he could really stop himself as he kept thinking about the bizarre dream he'd had earlier in the week, the dreams he'd been having..

"If you're sure.." Destiny said as she looked at him uncertainty in her eyes, raking her hand slowly through her hair.

"I'm sure.. Actually, I should thank you.. Before you came here tonight.. I was on the verge of a relapse.. If you hadn't shown up, I'd have done something really, really stupid."

Destiny blinked then said quietly, "Jeff.. Look, we really don't know one another, but you used to date my best friend, and you were a really good guy to her.. So, I care about you.. If you ever feel like you want to do that again.. Talk to someone.."

Jeff nodded quietly, and then said "Thanks, umm.. Maybe we can be friends? I mean we never really get to talk much.." as he smiled at herand she nodded and said "I'd like that a lot."

He went down the hallway, collapsed onto his bed, drained from the day he'd had so far as he stared at the ceiling, thought about tonight, everything that'd happened and what he'd almost done.

And when he fell asleep, he started having that dream again, of course.

Destiny settled in on the couch as she closed her eyes, began to just drift off to sleep. She was surprised when she realized that seeing Edge cheating on her actually hadn't shocked her like she'd thought it would.. That's when she realized that as stupid as Matt must have felt about knowing Lita was getting with Edge behind his back, she should really feel stupider.. because Edge had been spending less and less time with her for the better part of almost 5 months now and for a while, she'd wondered why.

Now, sadly, she had her answer.

As she started to sleep, she started to have the same vivid 'daydream' she'd had earlier in the week.. And something about it kept nagging at her.. She figured she'd try and make heads or tails of it in the morning when she'd had sleep and time to think about what she was going to do to Edge, how she was going to end things with him.


	2. Chapter 2

The ringing of her cell phone had her grumbling, sitting up on Jeff's couch, swearing as she looked at the caller id. Biting her lip, she scowled, hit ignore. She wasn't in the mood to talk to Edge today, and she frankly didn't want to think about the things she'd seen in his hotel room through the window the night before, that she couldn't go back and unsee now.

She saw them kissing, ripping each other's clothes off every damn time she closed her eyes or stopped, let herself think.

A throat cleared from the doorway into the den and Jeff said quietly, "You slept okay, right?"

"I, uhh, yeah.. Actually, all things considered, I slept pretty damn good." Destiny said as she tried to ignore the way his arms and chest stood out with him standing there shirtless, the way his eyes looked when he was still himself half asleep, or the effect that those two things were having on her system at this particular moment in time. It had to be the horomones. It had to be.

She bit her lip as she recalled a very vivid 'scene' from her dream the night before, while promptly zoning out, and staring at Jeff without realizing it.

x.X.x

_She'd walked into the house, grabbed herself a beer as she texted Edge yet again, only to get no answer, yet again. Scowling at her phone, she sighed and sat it down, raked her hand through long reddish brown hair as she leaned her head against the coolness of the refridgerator near her. The clearing of his throat from behind her had her jumping out of her skin almost, because all damn night, she'd been trying NOT to notice him watching her quietly, as he talked to Shannon and Shane. They really didn't have much to do with one another, mostly because he was dating her best friend Maria._

_Even though Maria didn't really treat Jeff the way he deserved to be treated, if one were to ask Destiny about this.. She might be Maria's best friend, but it didn't mean she had to agree with how Maria treated Jeff. She knew for a fact that Maria went on dates with other guys when Jeff wasn't around, and she was constantly flirting with this guy she met at an indy show once, CM Punk._

_"He treats you like shit." Jeff said quietly, as he popped the top on his beer, studied the curvy younger sister of his older brother's girlfriend quietly. Okay, so he had Maria, but lately, he and Maria fought more than anything, and he'd found himself sort of unexplainably drawn to Destiny Dumas. Especially when he'd discovered just how shitty Edge treated her when she wasn't aware of it.  
_

_Like tonight.. He wasn't sure with who, but Jeff did know that Edge had a date with some other chick._

_That's why Destiny was here alone._

_Her sister, apparently, had something she had to do, or so Matt said.. Jeff had his suspicions, but he said nothing to his older brother, because since he'd come out, admitted he was coping with the recovery of being a drug user, they'd been on shaky terms with one another. And Matt, of course, was blinded by his love for Lita, he'd never believe him._

_"He's just busy tonight." Destiny muttered back as she turned around to face Jeff, trying not to feel guilty as she remembered Maria giggling as she said "This guy, I'm meeting him tonight. Just do not tell Jeff."_

_And now, seeing him in front of her, she knew that'd be harder than she originally thought. She figured that since they barely knew one another, she'd have no problem keeping her friend's secret, even though she didn't like it._

_Jeff looked at her and shook his head, shrugging as he watched her, his eyes roaming over her curves slowly before he took a sip of beer and then thought about hearing Edge talking about some 'girl' he was going out with tonight the things he'd said that'd made most of the other guys laugh, but had really made him sick. Looking at her now, she was a very sexy girl.. Why in the hell would Edge want to fuck around on her? He wanted to get to know her better. And spontaneously, he decided that tonight, he'd do just that..._

_Destiny went to walk out of the room, but she stopped in the doorway as Jeff said calmly, "Edge.. he's out with another girl tonight.. Or that's what I heard."_

_She stiffened her shoulders and turned around slowly, giving him a slightly confused glare as she muttered, "Maria.. She's met some guy at an indy show, and she's meeting him tonight." As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted them. And the sting of Jeff's words to her, of course, had her feeling like the biggest idiot on the face of the Earth. She should have known on some level that Edge couldn't be trusted, he was always flirting with other girls, sometimes right in front of her._

_"You don't seem surprised about Edge." Jeff muttered as the shock of Maria's going behind his back sank in and he muttered quietly "I should have known.. She's distant lately.. I thought maybe I was imagining it."_

_Destiny sighed as she wiped at her eyes before turning around and said with a brave sad smile, "I sort of hoped he'd change when he asked me to marry him."_

_"Please tell me you said you'd think about that, not yes." Jeff muttered, looking at the petite female standing in front of him with her back to him again, moving closer to her, his arms going around her to sort of comfort her, soften the blow of what he'd told her._

_"No. Like an idiot, I said yes." Destiny sighed as she turned around, her face resting against his firm chest as he tilted her chin up and said "He's an idiot."_

_"And Maria, though I love her, is the dumbest woman on Earth." Destiny muttered as she caught herself lost in his eyes again, her hand going up to his cheek as if on autopilot._

_Jeff smiled his best and bravest smile, though he knew what was probably about to happen was wrong. He was still really hurt at finding out Maria was out with some other guy right now, and he knew what he'd told her about Edge hurt her also._

_His hand closed over her hand and his other hand went to her hip as he pinned her between himself and the refridgerator's double doors, leaned down and sank his lips into hers, nibbling her full lower lip a few moments before breaking the kiss._

_"We shouldn't have done that." they both muttered as Destiny leaned in and pulled him into another kiss after muttering, "I've always hated how Maria treats you behind your back too. Even if we never talk again after tonight because of the awkwardness. I just.. I wanted you to know that."_

_"Same to you, Des." Jeff muttered as he deepened the kiss, his hands resting on her lower back before migrating lower, stopping on her butt, as he picked her up and sat her on the edge of the island counter in his brother's kitchen, continued to kiss her, his lips breaking from her lips, trailing down her neck as he made small gentle bites while doing so._

x.X.x

Destiny snapped out of it to find Jeff watching her as she watched him, an amused look in his jade green eyes as he asked, "You alright?"

"Yeah, I just.. It's nothing, forget it." Destiny said as she growled to herself when her cell phone began to ring again, and another glance at her caller id revealed the caller as being Edge. Again, she hit ignore and then said quietly, calmly, "I'm gonna get back to campus. Thanks for letting me crash on your couch last night.."

"Not a problem." Jeff said quietly as he said to her on her way out the door, "If you wanna talk or anything.. My door's open."

Destiny nodded and turned, lingering in the doorway for a moment as she studied him intently, then noticed the notepad sitting on the table his cordless phone also sat on. She picked up a pen and the notepad, scrawled her numbers on the top page and then said with a brave smile, "And you.. Call me. I mean it, Jeff.. If you want to talk, or you feel like you want to relapse.. I wanna get to know you better, be friends with you.."

Jeff managed a smile as he nodded. But it seemed like gravity was pulling him towards her, and he found himself standing in front of her, pulling her into a hug as he let his lips find the top of her head and his hands rest on her hips. He held her against him a few moments longer than he actually should have, and he discovered that not only did it feel exactly like that part of the dream he'd been having about her did, it also felt right. Like she belonged there.

Something about the real life nature of the dreams chose that moment to nag at him, yet again, but again, he put it off to an overactive imagination, his lacking sex life as of late (he and Maria really hadn't been as sexual as they normally were for a really long time now and he'd ignored that obvious warning sign of her cheating too) and being attracted to Destiny Dumas.

Because that's all there was to it.. Right?


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know what apartment Destiny Dumas is in, would ya?" Jeff Hardy asked as he twiddled his thumbs nervously. She had no idea he was going to show up here tonight, he hadn't called or anything, but when the urge to use again hit him, oddly enough, her words came back to him, and he found himself driving to the college she went to, intending on seeing her.

"Yeah.. Hey, you're not that pro wrestler dude she's with.." the guy answering him trailed off, confused as he smirked when the spark of recognition hit and he said "Ah, well I'm glad she's done with that asshole, buddy.. Jeff Hardy, right?"

"Yeah, man." Jeff said with a smile, although it was a distracted one as the guy nodded and said "She actually just got back from dance class. She teaches these little kids ballet."

Jeff filed that away, and then found himself concerned.. He knew she was pregnant and he knew ballet, if anything, was strenuous.. Then again, why exactly was he worried about it? If it weren't safe, she probably wouldn't be doing it, right? He stood a moment longer then cleared his throat as it became obvious the doorman wasn't just going to get the hint and tell him her apartment number. The doorman looked up again finally and said "Oh, right dude.. It's apartment 203."

"Sweet." Jeff said as he walked away, then paced the hallway for a few moments as he wondered just what the hell he was going to say to justify showing up here tonight.

As he stepped on the elevator, he felt a little more relaxed, a lot less on the edge. And when the elevator stopped at her floor, he was breathing a lot easier.. Until of course, he saw Edge lurking around in the hallway, just outside her apartment, obviously upset, and looking sort of pissed, hurt and confused at the moment.

"She broke it off with me, man." Edge muttered as Jeff smirked and said "I'd say I'm sorry, but hey, I'm not.. So.." as Edge suddenly realized the oddness of his being here, and asked with a raised brow, a jealous voice, "What the hell are you doing here, Jeff?"

"Came to see her. Heard she found out just what a manwhore you were and figured she'd need a friend."

"But you two barely know one another." Edge said with a raised brow, not completely buying what the younger brother of his best friend (or foatrmer best friend, because earlier in the week, Matt had found out somehow about him and Lita, completely lost his shit on him on live tv) was saying, but not in a position currently to question it.

"And? You barely knew Lita but you fucked her, so what's it matter?" Jeff asked, not sure why his voice sounded jealous and angry at Edge for being there, even to himself.

"Look, just because Maria's ended it with your useless ass." Edge said in a menacing tone as Jeff snorted in laughter and said "Yeah... Look, you can say what you wanna about me, I don't give a damn.. But I really think it's a good idea if you leave."

Destiny spoke up from her open apartment door, she'd come out, having heard the beginnings of an argument with Edge and someone else who sounded a lot like Jeff then as she said "He's right, Edge. Leave and for the love of Christ, do not come back here. We'll figure out something about the baby later. All I know right now is I want nothing to do with you.. While I'm thinking about it, here. Take this fucking piece of tin. Give it to Lita. God knows you two seem close now."

"Babe.." Edge started as Destiny motioned Jeff in then slammed the door in his face. He knocked again and then when the door opened, Jeff stood there, a menacing sneer on his face as he leaned in and said quietly, "Didn't I kick your ass good enough on Monday?"

"She's mine, Hardy, fuck off."

"Not anymore, Copeland.. I suggest you fuck off before I find a good reason to kick your ass."

Edge stormed off, swearing. If Jeff even thought this was over, he was dead wrong. This was only beginning, and before it was over with, he was going to make damn sure Jeff Hardy remembered that Destiny Dumas was too damn good for his drug abusing ways. She needed a stable clear headed man in her life, not some druggie who painted and played guitar.

Edge wasn't giving up without a fight, to make things short and to the point. And for that matter, it didn't seem like Jeff was going to back down anytime soon, either.

Destiny blinked and then asked Jeff, "How'd you find my place?"

"I asked Trish and Christian. Figured they'd tell me. And Christian seemed worried about you?"

"Yeah, I got dizzy earlier in the week during a dance class, it's nothing, the doctor said it'd happen a lot. Also said that sooner or later, I'll have to stop teaching the girls ballet for a while. I'm not looking forward to that." Destiny admitted, frowning momentarily as she grabbed him a soda, flopped gently onto the couch beside him as she asked, "Are you okay though? I mean Trish said you got into a huge blow up backstage with Matt AND Edge."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just letting some frustration go, it's all good now." Jeff said casually, as he added mentally, _'Fuck what Matt says. And if Edge thinks he's worming his way back in, not gonna let it happen. I go for what I want. But what exactly do I want?' _

From where he stood currently, it was a pretty damn good question to be asking himself, what with the dreams he kept having in all of their erotic glory about her that felt so damn real he could feel her body beneath his, feel her lips on his skin, her hands on his body, the way her nails dragged slowly across his back as he drove deep into her, steadying her hips with a free hand.

Even thinking about them just sitting there had him wanting to lean in and kiss her, see where it lead.. And then the cock block of a conscience spoke up from with in reminding him that not only was she pregnant, but he was messed up right now, still getting his head back on straight from the drugs and Maria's leaving him.

He had to go easy, take his time.


	4. Chapter 4

Destiny grumbled as she heard her cell phone ringing and picked it up, hearing Edge on the other line.

"What were you doing?" Edge asked, as he twisted the phone cord around his fingertips, bit his lip, trying to gauge her mood today. He was going to try one more time, pull out all the stops to win her back. When she'd broken it off with him, he'd realized and sadly, just how much she did mean to him. Or at least that's what he thought was happening with him lately. Even he wasn't really too sure, but he did know that when she'd come down to watch Jeff, it'd made him insanely jealous.

And he was not about to let Jeff Hardy take his girl.

"I was sleeping, Edge." Destiny grumbled irritably as she said "It's 8 am." and then mentally added, '_ and now, apparently, the ex is going to stalk me, and play cock block when I'm dreaming and don't want to wake up. Dreams are so much better than reality.. I just wonder why it's Jeff? Or why it all feels so damn real?' _before sitting up and saying "Ughh, fine, damn it. I'm awake now, what the hell do you want?"

"I want to. .. No we need to talk, Destiny." Edge said firmly as he smirked at himself in the mirror confidently. Destiny rolled her eyes, she could almost bet he was in front of a mirror of some sort. He had this habit of doing that, and until she'd broken up with him, she hadn't realized just how much it grated her last nerve. Like, could he just not? Really?

"If this is about your little temper tantrum from me coming to watch Jeff on Monday, Edge, save it. He's my friend, he's going through a bad spot in life right now, he needs me." Destiny muttered as she smiled a little to herself. It felt nice to be needed by someone, not just be someone's background or something they carry around and flaunt like an accessory.

She and Jeff actually had conversations. Deep and intense conversations. Sometimes, even arguments. It felt good to not hide her inner workings from someone for once, to finally be free of the restraint that she normally had to use in doubles just to keep people from thinking she was eccentric, or childish or too passionate.

"It is, actually.. Desi, he's been addicted to drugs and I love you.. I don't want him dragging you down with him when he finally hits rock bottom. Because believe me, babe, it is not gonna be pretty."

Destiny grumbled, hopped from the counter she'd been sitting on, Indian style and tossed the core of the green apple she'd been eating, into the garbage as she thought of the best and most honest way to tell him to fuck off, that this was none of his business.

Then again, her current situation said otherwise.. She was carrying his kid, though she kept putting off telling him. And like it or not, that meant the self absorbed bastard had a say so in every person who was in her life.

Even if she hadn't quite gotten around to telling him yet. She'd tried, many times, but.. The words just kept sticking in her throat. It seemed like the timing wasn't ever right or there was just something deep down telling her not to say anything to him.

But soon, she'd have to. She was already starting to show a little.

"Edge, if you really loved me? You'd have never fucked my big sister. So for you to say you love me and you're concerned? It's a fucking joke. Do us a favor and leave me alone. I'm done. I was done the second I heard what you were up to." Destiny said as she hung up her phone, slamming it shut.

The door being banged on had her calling out "Come in."

She gaped at Matt Hardy when he stepped in and looked at her, arms crossed, pacing angrily.

"Whatever you're up to with my brother, it ends now. Don't call him, don't come to see him, don't think about him. He lost Maria, he doesn't need you fucking with his head." Matt said as he looked at Destiny, the mental image of what he'd walked in on almost two months prior, with herself and Jeff burned into his mind. He hadn't said anything, but he knew what they'd done. Neither of them seemed to remember.

"Whoa.. You're really being serious, Matt?"

"Yes."

"First of all, who the hell are you to decide who befriends your brother and who doesn't? And secondly, where the fuck were you when he admitted he had a problem and he needed help? Oh and by the way, you might think this whole storming in here and demanding that I not even talk to your brother thing will work, but I hate to tell you, hon, it's not. Jeff's a grown ass man, if he wants to call or come by, I'm not gonna stop him. And I like having him as a friend. Unlike you and my lying slut of a sister, his lying bitch of an ex and my cheating manwhore ex, he makes me feel important. He actually listens to what I say and he actually gives a shit about me.. Do you know what Maria said when I told her about Edge and me?"

"No, but does it really make a damn?"

"She told me that I must not have been enough to satisfy him. And then she tells me that she's fucked him too.. While we were friends."

Matt grimaced and then said "Just stay the fuck away from him, okay."

"No, Matt, you stay the fuck away from me. Just because you're bitter and hurt because my sister's a fucking whore, it does not give you the right to go around demanding stupid shit of people. You need to stop controlling everyone else just because you lose control of your own damn life and you don't like that. Look, if you're mad at Lita? Best revenge is to say fuck her.. Move on, man, because this? It's only going to wind up costing you everyone who cares."

Matt stared at her, angry and then said quietly, "You probably caused Maria to leave him. You probably caused him to want to relapse. If I didn't know what you two were capable of, when left alone together, I'd butt out."

"What the fuck does that even mean?"

"You're not an idiot, figure it out." Matt said with a smug smirk as Destiny threw a converse at his head and yelled at him to get out.

Once he was out in the hallway, he stood a moment and raked his hand through his hair.. Why was she confused? Did she not realize what she and Jeff had already done to sort of set everything that'd happened to both of them into play? Did she not realize that they'd slept together?

"Nah.. They have to remember." Matt muttered to himself as he walked down the hallway, got into the elevator and left, satisfied that he'd at least tried to save his brother.

Meanwhile, in the apartment, Destiny stood gaping at the door in confusion and amusement.

"And I thought I was fucking nuts." she muttered as she shut the door and calmly poured a bowl of Lucky Charms, sat down and turned on the tv, found Saturday morning cartoons and began to watch.

But all the while, Matt's smug remark kept eating at her.

Surely he was just saying it to be a douchebag, right? Because if something happened, it stood to reason she and Jeff would remember.. Right?

She sighed and muttered quietly, "And once again, Destiny, you let that damn jerk Matt Hardy get in your head. When in the hell are you going to realize he likes pissing you off, so he says whatever he can to get the job done?"

She leaned back against the couch, satisfied that he'd meant nothing more than pissing her off by his previous remark.


	5. Chapter 5

Jeff looked at his brother with a raised brow, the quick temper surfacing as he grabbed his brother's collar. "You did what, Matt?"

"I told Destiny to stop messing up your life. This entire thing is her fault." Matt insisted as he grabbed his brother and then said calmly, "Why do you care exactly?"

"Because, Matt, she hasn't done anything, damn it. She's probably the only person who's actually been there for me lately. I mean your idea of 'being there' and support, man.. It's driving me insane. I'm not some fucking kid you have to protect, Matt, I'm a grown ass man. And I'm getting sick of you making up my mnd for me. So butt out." Jeff said as Shannon grabbed the two brothers and pointed Matt in the direction of his house as he looked at his longtime best friend Jeff and then said "Look.. I'm gonna be honest with you.. I never really liked Maria or Lita.. The fact that both of you are finally rid of them? Fine with me. But I want you to be honest about something, Jeff.. Any reason you're getting all bent out of shape over what Matt did? I just want to know."

Of course, Shannon was just trying to figure out if Jeff really remembered anything from the night he and Destiny hooked up, comforting one another, both of them completely and totally drunk. Shannon felt that on some level both of them did, but they weren't remembering all of it. Just small bits of it.

Which frankly, amused the hell out of the easygoing male.

He'd always sort of saw Destiny as a little sister, since she'd shown up with Lita, and even if Jeff didn't admit to it, he could sort of tell the younger Hardy was drawn to her too.

"It's these dreams I've been having, man.. They feel too damn real. And then she came to the house the night she caught Edge with Lita, and.. I don't know... We talked and we clicked."

Shannon smirked to himself and then said "Dreams.. What do you mean?"

"Oh trust me.. Think of your most vivid sex dream, times it by ten. Feels, sounds, tastes.. It all feels like it's really happening."

Shannon almost spoke up and told his friend, 'maybe because it did moron' but instead, he kept quiet and then asked Jeff, "And do you feel anything for her? I mean be honest, because she's actually the other innocent person in all this."

"I think so.." Jeff muttered as he thought about it.. They kept finding one another lately, when things weren't going well or they just wanted to talk.. They argued a little, yeah, but they also flirted with each other covertly and Jeff got more and more pissed whenever Edge tried to run interference and win her back. It was almost like he was jealous.

He'd been putting it off to not wanting someone he considered a friend to get hurt, but what if there was more.

"What do you mean you think so, Jeffro? Either you do or you don't, buddy."

"Okay, damn it. Yeah. I do feel something for her. But that doesn't matter, because she's.. And I'm... And the entire situation's fucked up before I even get a chance at anything.. She's pregnant, Shannon, and I'm recovering from a serious addiction. Not the best situation."

Shannon rolled his eyes and then said "You're really gonna give in and let Edge, hell let your older brother win? Because I've got a feeling Matty's only doing this because HE wants her."

"He never did learn the difference between mine and his, did he?" Jeff wondered aloud as he started to get angry all over again, especially considering that Matt might have just done something to cost him Destiny.

Meanwhile, Destiny sat in her apartment, with her older sister's best friend Trish and her close friend, Mickie as she asked, "Well? Aren't either of you going to say anything?"

Trish looked at the due date again and then said "And you're absolutely sure Edge was out of town, you two were not together? These things are wrong a lot, Desi."

Mickie spoke up and then said "But they're also right a lot too, Trish. If she says Edge wasn't with her, that he might not be the father, then he might not. I mean it's not like we're talking to Lita here."

Destiny groaned and put her head on her hands then said "No, but when I do something bad? I go all out. I don't even know who the hell I could have slept with that weekend, to be honest, I was so damn hurt to hear what Jeff told me about Edge, and the alcohol didn't help any. Girls, never and I mean never drink again like that.. Ever."

Mickie sat down next to her friend and put her arm around her as she said quietly, "You don't think it's Matt's.. Do you?"

The groan Destiny gave in answer as she gritted her teeth and said "God I hope to all hell it isn't." made Trish laugh a moment and then ask her, "What about those dreams you keep having about you and Jeff.. Do you think they could be you remembering what you did?"

Destiny thought about it then said "But.. All we did was have the discussion about Edge and Maria's being out with other people. That's all I remember. Actually, I think I left the room after that."

"What do you mean you think?"

"Damn it, girls, you know me.. Would I normally do something this damn stupid?"

The two women looked at one another and then said quietly, "No, but.. You were just finding out what you suspected all along about Edge. And you were feeling angry, hurt.."

"Yes, I know.. And that is how I got here.. And now, I have no clue who the father of my kid might even be." Destiny groaned as she angrily called herself every name in the book she could think of, because if she had to look at it, from anyone else's point of view, it was trashy, what she'd gotten herself into. She knew this. She hardly ever did anything like she apparently had that weekend.

"Can you do a DNA thing?"

"It's too early for it. I've done enough to put my kid through hell already. God, I'm gonna be a shitty mother." Destiny said as she started to cry. The stress of this situation, this new development had her hormones on a literal roller coaster, and she wasn't going to take it easy on herself.

"Calm down." the other two females said as the door to the apartment was knocked on and her big sister called out, "Desi? Let me in, please?"

"Go away." Destiny said as she bit her lip. The very last thing she wanted was her sister catching wind of her situation.. But then again, this was also the longest she'd went without talking to her big sister, and when the dust settled, at the end of the day, whether she liked it now or not, Lita was her older sister.

"Let me in. Please?" Lita tried again as Destiny flung the door open and said "Fine." as she stepped aside, let her sister into her apartment. Lita paced a moment and then said "About what happened.."

"Look.. If I really wanna look at it? You just saved me a ton of money by helping me see just what kind of man he was, what I'd have been marrying. I hate what you did, I'm probably never gonna really forgive you or trust you again, but hey.. I can't throw stones, now can I?" she asked as Lita raised a brow then asked, "Horomones?"

"No.. Look at this." Destiny said as she shoved a paper into Lita's hands, pointed to the due date of her niece or nephew. Lita looked at the date, then did the math in her own head and sat down on the couch as she looked up at her very pregnant little sister and said quietly ,"Wow.."

"No, more like oh shit.. Because thanks to finding out from Jeff the weekend in question, if I've done my math correctly, I was drunk off my face and I can't remember large chunks of it." Destiny fumed as she again started with the mental name calling. "See now why I can't say a damn thing to you? Because apparently, I got mine that weekend."

"Wow.. So do you have any idea who it might have been?" Lita asked as Trish spoke up and said "Personally? I think it's Jeff. I mean she's been having pretty racy dreams about him for a while now, and when she told me about them, I sort of thought they were because she knew deep down Edge was the wrong guy, and he was cheating on her."

"Whoa.. You've been dreaming about Jeff?"

"Yes, Lita."

"Not Matt.. Jeff."

"Jeff.. Why's it so hard to believe?"

"Because I always kind of thought that you and Matt's arguing was unreleased sexual tension or flirting."

"No, Lita, I actually don't feel anything for the guy. Put up with him for your sake." Destiny said as Lita asked, "The dreams.."

"Oh trust me.. They're kinky.. And I actually quite enjoy them. But what about them?"

"And they feel like they really happened?" Lita asked as she started to piece things together.. The only way she'd be sure is if she talked to someone at the party that weekend, and confirmed it..

But she was getting the suspicion that her sister already knew the answer to her current dilemma deep down, even if she didn't admit it. She'd blocked out what she'd done, because unlike her, Destiny wasn't into cheating, and she hated lying.. So if Lita really had to think about it, she was pretty damn sure that Destiny couldn't remember because her mind wasn't letting her, because she'd done the very thing she hated the most.. And she didn't want to lie about it.

"Does Edge know?"

"Not yet.. I'm not telling him until I'm completely sure." Destiny said as she bit her lower lip, tried yet again to go back over the weekend in her mind. While she did this, Lita stepped into the hallway and dialed a number.. She knew he probably wouldn't answer, but she also knew that he probably saw everything that went on that weekend, and at the very least, he'd be able to tell her who her sister spent the most time with that weekend.

"Hey, Shan? When you get this, call me back.. It's not about me and Matt.. This is for my sister's sake." Lita said as she hung up, waited.

Shannon Moore looked at his cell phone then at Jeff and said "What the hell is Lita calling me for? I'm not lookin for Matty to kick my ass too."

"Answer it, man. I'm gonna take a walk. I need to think because something's bugging me.." Jeff muttered as he took off down the sidewalk, slipping his earphones in, turning on some music.

Shannon called Lita back and before he could say anything, Lita asked, "Remember that party Matt threw a while back? The one that neither Edge, Maria or me went to because we were all out with other people behind our significant others backs?"

"Since you put it bluntly, yeah, why?" Shannon asked as he smirked to himself. He had a feeling he knew where this was heading, and this was about to become a very interesting chain of events.

"Who was Destiny with the most that weekend."

"Jeff.. Hell, she slept in his room when he poured her into bed." Shannon said as he groaned and then said "Oh damn... Wait a minute.. Why'd you ask that?"

"Because my sister just got her due date, and there's no way mathematically, at least not that she's certain of, that Adam's the father. You know how uptight she is, she keeps the dates for everything, she's got a mind like a steel trap.. Except for now."

"I see.. And she's trying to figure out who the dad is, huh?"

"Exactly.." Lita said as she added, "She's been dreaming of Jeff since that weekend, nonstop. From what she told me, the dreams are real. And between me and you? I personally think she's falling in love with the guy."

"Oh, it's too late for him." Shannon said as he watched Jeff pacing a trail up and down the sidewalk, lost in thought. He laughed to himself and hung up the phone.. If Matt wasn't going to tell his little brother what he'd walked in on the two of them doing that night, then Shannon was going to. Because Jeff was his best friend, and maybe if he told him this, Jeff would have even more of a reason not to go back to the stuff he'd been doing before.

And Destiny did take damn good care of him.

Lita walked back inside and then said "Trish? I agree with you.. And Destiny? I really think you and Jeff need to have a serious talk.. I just talked to Shannon and he told me that you slept in Jeff's bed the night of the party, but only after you passed out and Jeff poured you into his bed."

Destiny bit her lip and muttered, "As long as I've had a crush on the guy and the time I finally let my guard down, act on it, I'm too damn drunk to remember. This entire situation is completely fucked up."

"But it doesn't have to be." Lita pointed out as she said firmly, "Call him. And about us.. I know you're gonna hate what I did, and I know it's gonna take a long time for you to trust me again, but I don't wanna lose my best friend either.."

"Look, I'm gonna try with you, but I won't promise anything." Destiny said as she hugged her sister goodbye stiffly, then looked at Mickie and Trish as she said quietly, "Should I call him?"

Meanwhile, back at Jeff's house, Jeff sat listening to Shannon who finished with, "If you don't believe me? Go ask Matt.. He walked in on you two at one point and trust me, things were definitely heating up."

"So he knew.. And he's not telling me?"

"Because he thinks you did Maria wrong. Idiot won't listen when I tell him Maria's not the damn angel she's got him thinking she is. You know how she's always been with him, man.."

"Don't I. Used to make me mad as hell too. You know, I always thought if she cheated on me? It'd be with him.. Not some guy in independent named CM Punk." Jeff scowled at the mention of the name.

"So? Are you gonna call Desi?"

"Should I?"

Shannon shoved the phone at him then saw Destiny's car pulling into the driveway as he smirked and said "Nevermind.. I'm gonna go now, you two probably need to talk."

Jeff walked towards Destiny's car, numb with shock.. Everything pointed to him being her baby's father, and he was shocked to realize that for some reason, this made him happier than he'd been in a while. A few months before all this, before he knew Maria was screwing a round, they'd had a 'scare' and he'd all but panicked..

Right now? The only thing shocking him was why he couldn't remember.. He'd sort of had a crush on Lita's baby sister for a while now, he'd just made himself ignore it, because of Maria.

"Damn it, the one night I let go and lay it out there, I'm too damn hammered to remember if she even enjoyed it." he grumbled as he knocked on the window of her car. "Are you okay?"

"We need to talk, Jeff.." Destiny said nervously, as she bit her lip, looked up at him.. Everything was riding on this conversation, and she was scared to death.. Because if she told him how she'd felt about him before that night, if that night even actually happened.. Well then that put them in an insecure place.. And what if they didn't make it?

She didn't want to lose her best friend either.

But she did want him as more than a friend. She actually needed him and loved him.


	6. Chapter 6

~ continued from previous chapter ~

He shut the door to his house behind him and leaned against the frame, looking at Destiny who was pacing a literal hole in his hardwood floor right now. Walking over, he placed his hands firmly but gently on her arms as he stopped her, made her look at him and said calmly, "You said we needed to talk."

"I did and.." Destiny started as she bit her lip, twisted her hair for a moment, wondering just how in the hell she was supposed to go about saying this, because the entire thing sounded so ridiculous now that her even saying it out loud, well.. It only made her look like a slut, didn't it?

'Everyone makes mistakes though' she reminded herself mentally as she took a deep breath and then said quietly, "Well, I don't have to worry about Edge being the father of my kid.."

Jeff nodded and lead her to the couch, sitting her down. Whatever she was trying to say, he'd pretty much sort of figured out, thanks to Shannon earlier, so he kind of knew where this was heading, even if he didn't actually remember any of it happening. "And?"

She burst into tears as she looked at him and then said quietly, "Now I just have to figure out who it is.. Because apparently, while Edge was off with my sister, fucking her.. I hooked up here."

There, she'd sort of said it, it was out now. Jeff adjusted his seat on the couch, looked at her and said quietly, "I know.." as he stared at the floor for a minute. If he admitted to it, because he was 99.9 percent sure that it'd been with him, even though they'd been drinking a lot more than either of them really normally did..

What if she didn't feel anything for him, at all? What if all this, their odd friendship as of late was just the two of them sort of getting over their exes?

"What do you mean, you know?" Destiny asked as she looked at him for a moment, studying his face intently, trying to figure out just how much he knew?

Because she'd remembered it on the drive over. A song came on the radio, 'Don't Fear The Reaper' by HIM, and she'd remembered it was playing in the background at least one of the times that they'd made love over that weekend. Biting her lip, she looked at her hands and then waited on his answer.

Jeff sat for a moment, and thought about it, really thought about everything.. To his surprise, a little bit came back to him and he shot a look over at her then slid closer as he said quietly, "It was me, Desi."

Destiny looked up and nodded then said quietly, "It's just.. I mean.. You.."

He laughed a little then asked, "You okay?"

"Just trying to get this all straight in my head.. And trying to figure out how to tell you something else too.." she muttered as she bit her lower lip and looked at him, before leaning in, pulling him into a kiss.

He groaned as she pressed against him, his tongue slipping between her lips, finding her tongue easily, making him smile a little bit. If she was trying to tell him something..

He'd figured out by now that she was probably a lot shyer than most people realized, and that if it were going to be said, he'd probably have to be the brave one, say it.

"If you're wondering, it meant something to me." he muttered as Destiny nodded, muttered back quietly, "It did to me too." as she looked at him and then asked, "Did you remember, or?"

"Somewhat... I'd been having these dreams about you and then something Shannon said earlier made me stop and think."

Destiny blushed just a little and then muttered, "Same here.. I think I was remembering. Then in the car on the way over here, I heard one of the songs that was playing in the background and it sort of filled itself in." as she looked at him and moved a little closer, before asking, "What's gonna happen to us now, I mean.."

Jeff shrugged and then said " Well you can forget getting rid of me. I mean I want to be a part of it all."

Destiny laughed a little and then said quietly, "I want you to be part of it all.. I mean with us though.. I'm just afraid that.."

"Don't be.. There was a reason I told you about Edge that night. I can admit it. I know it's selfish, but I was actually just so damn sick of the guy treating you like he did, knowing I actually felt something for you.. So when you showed up, minus Edge, I figured what the hell and went for it."

Destiny laughed a little and then said quietly ,"That's kind of why I didn't just keep my mouth shut about Maria.. I used to wonder how she kept a guy like you and did the things she did.. Hell, I can admit I was probably jealous too. I'd pretty much decided that when you told me about Edge, I was gonna tell you about Maria."

Jeff laughed a little and then said quietly, " I do have one regret."

She bit her lip, her stomach churning nervously.. She'd had the feeling there'd be a but in there somewhere, but she wasn't expecting it to be what he said next..

"That I hadn't been wasted when I finally made my move, so that maybe I'd have remembered it all."

"Oh trust me. That'd be my regret too.. I mean I wanted to tell you I felt something for you for a while, and then I finally go for it, I'm wasted." Destiny muttered as she leaned against him and asked, "So.. Now that it's all out.."

"I don't want to change a thing.. Did you tell Edge yet?"

"Not yet.. But I'm going to." Destiny said as she looked at him and then said "Actually, I was going to come to the show on Monday, watch you. I'll tell him then."

"or you could let me tell him. That way if he gets mad I'm there. You know he's an asshole when h e wants to be."

"This is very true." Destiny said as she leaned against him and rested her eyes a moment.

"You sleepy?"

"Kind of, but I don't want to sleep."

He laughed as he pulled her into his lap and asked casually, "Don't suppose there's any chance you'd consider staying here? I don't really want to be that far away from you, now that everything's finally out in the open."

"Actually, I'd like that a lot." Destiny said as she rested her forehead against his and then smiling asked, "So, I got a picture today.. Do you want to see?"

"Yeah." Jeff smiled as he took the sonogram and looked at it, laughing at the way the baby was waving at the camera. Destiny laughed and said "Trish swore up and down earlier that the baby was not waving, it was sticking up it's middle finger. Mickie thinks it's pretending to be a guitarist."

Jeff pulled her into a kiss and then said quietly, "I was afraid this entire conversation was going to go the exact opposite, all things considered."

Destiny sighed and then said quietly, " I know what you're going through and I'm not going to turn my back. We need you, babe. I know it's not gonna be easy because it's hard to get away from using."

"But I'm not going to be like that one guy you dated and hurt you. If it comes to that, leave and do not look back." Jeff warned as he looked at her, managed a smile and then said quietly, "You are not leaving tonight."

"Actually, I wasn't planning to." Destiny admitted as she settled into his lap and tried to get her head around everythign that'd finally come out.

Now all that was left was telling Edge, and somehow she wasn't really too worried about that. But she had to wonder what would happen with them, what might lie ahead. She meant that she wasn't going to turn her back when she said it, but she also knew how scary an addiction could be, and she was worried about him.

She just had to hope that what they were starting would be enough to keep him from wanting to go back to his addiction. Because she loved him and she needed him, she'd waited a really long time to finally tell him how she felt about him.


End file.
